Giant ‘IF’ comes to Dungannon in campaign to end Hunger Trap

IF may be a small word, but it represents a huge cause – ending world hunger. To highlight the Enough Food For Everyone IF campaign to combat the global food crisis, a giant inflatable IF is popping up at the Market Square in Dungannon on Thursday January 24thth at 2 pm.

100 organisations across the UK have joined forces in a massive campaign to combat the global food crisis. As part of the campaign launch, super-sized IF letters are touring Northern Ireland, January 23rd through 25th.

A report released by the IF campaign on January 23rd warns of the human and economic cost of hunger in a world where there is enough food to feed everyone.

“Great strides in reducing infant mortality have been made through concerted action in the developing world. Since 1990, 24,000 fewer children die on a daily basis from malnutrition. But all of that progress is at risk unless world leaders take concerted action now”, explained Fergus Cooper, Head of Save the Children Northern Ireland.

“Not only will 937 million young people have their life chances permanently damaged by childhood hunger by 2025; malnutrition will cost developing countries £78 billion in lost economic output every year by 2030.”

The UK-wide campaign calls on David Cameron to use the UK’s G8 presidency this year to take global action on the root causes of the crisis in the poorest countries, contending There Is Enough Food For Everyone IF…the right steps are taken now.

The IF campaign marks the biggest coming-together of the UK’s major development agencies and faith groups since Make Poverty History.

Member agencies Beyond Skin, Christian Aid, CADA (Coalition of Aid and Development Agencies NI), Concern Worldwide (UK), Disability Aid Abroad, Fields of Life, Global Education Network NI (GENNI), Oxfam Ireland, Save the Children, SERVE, Tearfund, Trócaire, War on Want NI are confident that if enough people show they care, world leaders will have to act. To join the campaign, visit www.enoughfoodif.org.

There Is Enough Food For Everyone IF:

We give enough aid to stop children dying from hunger and help the poorest people feed themselves through investment in small farmers.

We stop big companies dodging taxes on overseas profits, so that the poorest countries have the resources to free themselves of hunger. This alone would enable developing countries to raise enough revenue to save the lives of 230 children under 5 each day.

We stop poor farmers being forced off their land and use agricultural land to grow food for people, not biofuels for cars.

We force governments and big corporations to be open about their actions that stop people getting enough food.

Comedian and actor Eddie Izzard was born in Yemen before living and going to school in Northern Ireland, where the G8 Summit will be held in June.

Speaking of his support for Enough Food for Everyone IF, Eddie Izzard said: “If I hadn’t been born in Yemen maybe I wouldn’t be so interested in international politics. Maybe I wouldn’t realise how British politics affect whether children live or die abroad. IF is a tiny, but powerful word. IF is about hope. IF is about believing in the power that every person has to help transform the world. We can make 2013 the beginning of the end for the global hunger crisis. IF we all get together, we can make world leaders change the future by tackling the root causes of hunger. Please join us at www.enoughfoodif.org”

Desmond Tutu supports Enough Food for Everyone IF and said: “Hunger is not an incurable disease or an unavoidable tragedy. We can make sure no child goes to bed hungry. We can stop mothers from starving themselves to feed their families. We can save lives. We can do all of this, IF we are prepared to do something about it. IF we challenge our leaders to take action. IF they listen to us. It’s time the world’s decision-makers came to the right decision on hunger. It’s time to end the unnecessary suffering caused by the failure of the current food system. We can make hunger a thing of the past IF we act now.”